Combined recoil drive



Dec. 1, 1942. M. A. MULLER 2,304,008

COMBINED RECOIL DRIVE Filed June 27, 1959 Patented Dec. 1, 1942 OOMBINED RECOlI DRIVE Max Adolf Miiillei', Biederitz, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian 1 Application June 27, 1939, Serial No. 281,487

In Germany July 30, 193 8 6 Claims. (c1. Gil-35.6)

This invention relates to a recoil drive. More mixed, and are then passed through a recoil nozzle after which they expand in the atmosphere.

In known drives of this type it was customary to drive an air compressor by the internal combustion engine and to provide a recoil nozzle connected with the engine. However, in such arrangements. no special mixing chamber was pro vided, and the exhaust gases and the by-passed air were mixed in the recoil nozzle itself. As a result, great losses occurred particularly in the mixing of the air and exhaust gases.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a recoil drive, particularly for aircraft, in

which air compressed by a blower driven by the engine is passed in part to the intake of the engine, while the remainder Washes the motor for cooling purposes, and wherein, finally, the cooling air (having been heated during its passage) is admixed with the exhaust gases in a mixing chamber and then permitted to expand. Such an arrangement obviates and eliminates the disadvantages present in the prior known arrangements.

Another, and related, object of the invention is Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. i.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

An air compressor, generally indicated by the reference numeral I0 is preferably arranged in front of, and is driven by, a series star internal combustion engine l2, having upper rows l4 and I8 of cylinders, and lower rows 18 and 20.

As more clearly indicated in Fig. 3 there are passages 22 arranged longitudinally betweenthe rows of cylinders l4 and I6, and I8 and 20. Between the rows of cylinders i4 and N on the one hand, and I6 and 20 on the other, are longitudinal mixing chambers 2 To the rear of the motor and connected with the mixing chambers 24 are recoil nozzles 26 (Figs. 2 and 4). Disposed between the nozzles 26 and the chambers 24 are combustion chambers 28 into which fuel may be sprayed by the jets 3G to increase the thrust load.

The arrangement operates in the following manner:

The air is forced by the compressor I0 into the and through the cylinders, while the remaining the provision of an arrangement in which a series star motor is employed to drive the air compressor, and between each two cylinder rows a1- ternate passages are provided, one connected with the air compressor and the other passage being a mixing passage connected with the recoil nozzle or nozzles.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of an efilcient, compact arrangement of the type in question, which is admirably portion passes around the cylinders to cool them.

The cooling air, which has become heated during its passage around the cylinders, then passes to the mixing chambers 24 where it becomes admixed with the exhaust gases.

Expansion of the mixture in the open then takes place through the recoil nozzles 26. In order to increase the thrust load, combustion chambers 28 are provided into which fuel may be sprayed through the jets 30, as described.

The arrangement of the passages 22, connected with the compressor l0, and of the mixing chambers 26, must always be such that there is disposed on one side of each cylinder row a passage 22, and on the otherside a mixing chamber 24.

The arrangement illustrated is only exemplary and the invention is not to be limited thereby except as indicated by the claims which follow.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a recoil drive for aircraft and the like comprising, an internal combustion engine of the star or radial series type, an air compressor driven by said engine, passages disposed adjacent the cylinders and connected to said air compressor to receive air therefrom and direct a part thereof to the engine cylinders and the remainder around the cylinders to cool them, mixing chambers contiguous with said cylinders for receiving the exhaust gases directly from said cylinders and also the cooling air after it has contacted said cylinders, whereby said exhaust gases are mixed with said cooling air to create a mixture of increased potential energy, and recoil nozzles connected with said mixing chambers.

2. In a recoil drive for aircraft and the like comprising, an internal combustion engine of the star or radial series type, an air compressor driven by said engine, passages disposed adjacent the cylinders and connected to said air compressor to receive air therefrom and direct a part thereof to the engine cylinders and the remainder around the cylinders to cool them, mixing chambers for receiving the exhaust gases and also the cooling air after it has contacted said cylinders, and recoil nozzles connected with said mixing chambers, said passages and mixing chambers being disposed so that each longitudinal row of cylinders has a passage on one side thereof and a mixing chamber on the: other side thereof.

3. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 1, combustion chambers disposed between said mixing chambers and said recoil nozzles, and fuel jets leading into said combustion chambers, whereby when fuel is sprayed through said jets the thrust load can be increased.

4. In a recoil drive for aircraft and the like comprising, an internal combustion engine of the star or radial series type and having four longitudinal rows of cylinders, the cylinders of each row being radially spaced from a central axis, an air compressor driven by said engine, longitudinal passages disposed between two oppositely positioned pairs of rows of cylinders, said passages being connected to said air compressor to receive air therefrom and direct a part thereof to the engine cylinders and the remainder of the air around the cylinders to cool them, longitudinal mixing chambers disposed between two oppositely positioned pairs of rows of cylinders for receiving the exhaust gases and also the cooling air after it has contacted said cylinders, whereby each row of cylinders has a passage on one side thereof and a mixing chamber on the other, and recoil nozzles connected to said mixing chambers.

5. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 4,

combustion chambers disposed between said mixing chambers and said recoil nozzles, and fuel jets leading into said combustion chambers, whereby when fuel is sprayed through said jets, the thrust load can be increased. a

6. In a recoil drive for aircraft and the like comprising, an internal combustion engine of the star or radial series type, an air compressor driven by said engine, passages disposed adjacent the cylinders and connected to said air compressor to receive air therefrom and direct a part thereof to the engine cyhnders and the remainder around the cylinders to cool them, mixing chambers for receiving the exhaust gases and also the cooling air after it has contacted said cyhnders, and recoil nozzles connected with said mixing chambers, there being alternately arranged between the cylinder rows first a passage connected with the air compressor, and then a mixing chamber. 

